Tips to Start Your Career as a Data Engineer

If you are ready to pursue your career as a data engineer, there are several things you must do to be successful in this chosen career. However, there are also several things that you might want to avoid, as these might create potential hurdles in your career.

Keep reading.

Get the Right Education

Of course, you will need the right education or qualification if you seriously want to pursue your career in data engineering. A good starting point would be to conduct thorough research and select the right institution to develop the mandatory skills and knowledge, enabling you to truly progress in this career. 

Typically, data engineers are expected to possess a solid understanding of data science, mathematics, and programming. If you decide to pursue a formal education first, then your best step is to select an engineering degree that includes programming, database configuration, and programming. 

Don’t Jumpstart Your Career with Coding

Since we are also discussing the essential mistakes that you must avoid, let us start with the mistake of jumping into coding. You might have heard the popular opinion that states that as a data engineer, you need to start with Python, SQL, or another coding language right off the bat. However, this is not necessarily true. 

As a data engineer, you are actually building the infrastructure to make data accessible and usable rather than just writing code. With that said, you must focus on comprehending and acing the core concepts of data architecture, databases, and modeling. Why, you might ask? The reason is that these principles will actually guide you through your engineering choices so much more than knowing Python or SQL. 

Ace Cloud Technology

To successfully kickstart your career as a data engineer, you must really develop your cloud computing skills. Why, you might ask? The reason is that cloud computing tops off as the hottest topic in the field of data science. In 2025, data engineering will pretty much mean that you will be connecting the business system of your company with cloud-based systems.

Leveraging certain services, such as Google Cloud and AWS, you can ensure that the entire data workflow takes place within the cloud, which is why you must know how to use cloud services along with various applications. 

You Don’t Have to Become A Data Analyst First

Many aspiring data engineers feel that they must first become data analysts. However, this isn’t really the case. Surely, there are some overlapping skill sets, such as using SQL and understanding data structures. However, data engineering goes far beyond what a data analyst does. So, if you are all determined and set on data engineering, you must stop wasting your time on becoming a data analyst first.

It is in your best interest to spend time building data pipelines, exploring cloud tools, and learning about data storage systems. 

Boost Your Skills with Intuit

If you are all set to kickstart your career as a data engineer, we recommend that you discover the steps and boost your skills with Intuit. With Intuit, you can build your portfolio and exhibit your skills. Sign up for a project that you are interested in, or you might consider an internship, too. Nonetheless, you can find amazing jobs at Intuit.